Pumpkin Beer Review

Last fall, I informed you of my intent to conduct a survey of pumpkin beers.  I was in search of The Perfect Pumpkin Beer, the one that captures fall in a bottle of brewed delight.

Well, I conducted this survey.  A quite extensive one, I'll admit.  I'm still drinking a few of those six packs now, trying to clear space for new brews.  If you'll forgive me the delay, here is my report on the Official Pumpkin Beer Survey 2012...

(I profusely apologize for taking so darn long to tell you about these beers. You may not be able to find them in stores at this time.  I took that long. Sorry!!!)

Let's start with big bottles...


Chatoe Rogue (or Rogue Farms)
First Growth Pumpkin Patch Ale
Rogue Brewery

Contains pumpkin, ginger, cloves, vanilla bean, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg.

Obviously, I was attracted to the bright orange bottle like a moth to flame.  The fact that its made by Rogue, one heck of a delicious brewery out of Oregon, clinched my decision to buy a bottle. The label states the pumpkins were grown and picked from Rogue's farms and immediately processed into the brew.  It definitely had a POW-in-your-face flavor...but I'm not too sure that flavor was distinctly pumpkin and/or spice.  This might not be for everyone, but I still loved the brew and will be sure to enjoy a bottle (or two) next year.

Pumking
Southern Tier

Flavor notes from the brewery:  malty sweetness, vanilla, clove, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, pie crust.

You've heard about Pumking from me many times before. It's my reigning favorite pumpkin beer, with a distinct pumpkin taste and a wallop of spices.  If I'm drinking a pumpkin beer, I want to know it's pumpkin and not some indeterminate lager that could be an Oktoberfest if I didn't read the label.

Pumking is not too heavy in the mouth or the stomach, but with more heft than a summery pilsner or lager. Perfect for fall.

I liked it so much, I went from the large bottle (which is the only way its sold) to the growler. Yes, indeed.

La Parcela No. 1 Pumpkin Ale
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales 

The label reads: "packed with real pumpkin, hints of spice, and a gentle kiss of cocoa to liven the soul.

A pumpkin ale from Jolly Pumpkin? It has to be good, right? Plus it has cocoa flavor, and I love the combination of chocolate + pumpkin.  Alas, I was sorely disappointed.  Not much flavor of anything, despite the beautiful coppery orange color.  This probably won't make the list of contenders again. Bummer.

Fat Jack
Samuel Adams

A double pumpkin ale (28 lbs. of pumpkin per barrel) with classic pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice).  These flavors are deepened by an undercurrent of roasted malts.

Twice the pumpkin sounded awfully enticing.  While delicious, I didn't pick up a distinctly pumpkin flavor from Fat Jack.  At least no distinct in-your-face pumpkin flavor like Pumking.  So I'd drink Fat Jack again, but it isn't the champion pumpkin brew due to its lack of distinct pumpkin flavor.  Also, I'm loving this more specialty/seasonal/limited batch production by Samuel Adams as an alternative to their mass produced beers.   To be clear, I enjoy both, so I'm not a beer snob or hipster.

Let's move on to the six packs....

Harvest Pumpkin Ale
Samuel Adams

Contains roasted pumpkin (17 lbs. per barrel), deep roasted malts (including a smoked malt to add a distinctive smoked flavor), and traditional pumpkin pie spices.

Solid, but not distinctly pumpkin or spice.  Unlike many other pumpkin ales, this Sam Adams offering isn't too much spice.  It seems, to use the wise words of Goldilocks, just right.  It's not the champion pumpkin ale in my book, but it's one I may return to if pickings get slim in future searches.

Pumpkin Ale
Smuttynose Brewing Company

Contains pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Described by a review in the Wall Street Journal as "more spicy than spiced...Less aromatic than most, with more noticeable hops, it is not an obvious pumpkin beer, but not quite anything else."

I've become a huge fan of Smuttynose Brewing Company after trying their Old Brown Dog Ale and their Winter Ale.  So their pumpkin ale seemed like it'd be a serious contender.  Alas, it had no true pumpkin flavor, though I'd disagree with the Wall Street Journal review and say the hops weren't a strong flavor either.  Overall, a solid autumnal beer with a moderate amount of hops and some spices.  I'd drink it again, but it won't be in the running for pumpkin ale champion.

Pumpkin Ale
Kennebunkport Brewing Company

Described as a pale ale with hints of pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg...crisp and refreshing.

A late entry from the beer section at Trader Joe's, this pumpkin ale was just alright.  It seemed...lighter? less substantial? nearly identical to KBC's blueberry wheat beer from the summer (just a bit less fruit-sour)?  Even though I can't find the right word to describe it, I just wasn't impressed. There was no discernible pumpkin or spice taste, and it seemed muddled in flavor.  Not likely to revisit in the future, like most other KBC beers.  So sad...

Burgers and Beers:  The Great Pumpkin
A pumpkin beer sampling at The Party Source.  I'll keep it short here, we're almost done...

Post Road 
Brooklyn Brewery
Meh. Not much flavor here, either of pumpkin or spice. I'll pass.
(but they served it with a dollop of orange liquor infused whipped cream...and that was tasty!)

Ichabod
New Holland Brewing Company
A decent amount of flavor, but lacking in the distinctive pumpkin flavor.  Okay, but not a favorite.



Pumpkin Ale
St Ambroise

I flipped out over this pumpkin ale from a Canadian brewery about 4-5 years ago when it was at AleFest.  This year, I didn't so much as flip out as say "Okay. Maybe even good. But not noteworthy."  Has more of a pumpkin flavor than most, but it doesn't come through the spices and hops cleanly.

Pumpkin Beer

O'Fallon Brewery

Solid. Good pumpkin flavor (136 lbs of it, according to their website), an appropriate dose of spice, crisp...good work.  It didn't win top spot, but I'd happily drink it any fall.

Pumpkin Ale

Schlafly 

Introducing the runner-up in my unofficial (yet incredibly official) pumpkin beer survey 2012....Schlafly's Pumpkin Ale!  It has distinct flavors of pumpkin and spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves) balanced against each other.  Maybe a little extra pumpkin, to ensure those obsessed with pumpkin (ahem, me) would be happy.  A great fall brew to be enjoyed, and one I'll certainly be drinking as soon as I can get my paws on it.

And you've heard my opinion on Southern Tier's Pumking...(winner! pow-pumpkin-in-your-face!).

So that concludes my survey results.  Obviously, I love pumpkin beer.  Some more than others.  And I hope it's equally obvious that I'll be back in 2013 with a fresh review.  Any suggestions for what to try???

It's A Walk-Off! | Apple Cider Cocktail Battle

Two cocktails.  Both highly anticipated (by me).  One successful, one a halfhearted flop.  Here's their story...

Apple cider is my fall and winter thing.  It's the juice I choose to go with breakfast.  Warmed up, it's a comforting dessert replacement (nothing can replace chocolate and ice cream, let's be real).  With spiced rum or bourbon, its an easy seasonal cocktail.  Made into caramels, a la Deb Perelman, it's a chewy, stick-to-your-teeth bit of heaven.  So apple cider is inherently good.  Particularly when using a quality apple cider that isn't sickly sweet (my favorite? Trader Joe's. Which is apparently off the shelves for the season. Cue my cries of despair.).

When I stumbled upon two cocktail recipes using apple cider, I had to try them.  Yet more perfect and easy seasonal cocktails? Of course, I had to try them.  And I was going to make it a battle.  A cocktail walk-off, if you will.  Spiced Caramel Apple Cocktail vs. Hot Caramel Apple Cider.

Fast forward to the epic conclusion....and the Spiced Caramel Apple Cocktail won by a landslide.  It balanced adeptly between sweet and spicy, thanks to the use of ginger liqueur.  Though I'll admit the Hot Caramel Apple Cider, with just a touch less sweetness, was a strong competitor.  Either way, you won't lose.


Spiced Caramel Apple Cocktail
by Amy Tobin
Makes 1 drink

Ingredients:
2 oz. Domaine de Canton (ginger liqueur)
1 oz. caramel flavored vodka
3 oz. apple cider
dash lemon juice

Preparation:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake and strain into a martini glass.

If desired, crush a few gingersnaps into crumbs.  Rim a glass with plain simple syrup or agave syrup, then dip into the crushed gingersnaps.

Notes:
--To my taste, an excellent balance of sweet (from the caramel vodka and from the cider) and spicy (from the ginger liqueur and the cider spices).  Another good thing - it wasn't pow-in-your-face alcohol, which is still a bit too much for me.  Yes, I love imbibing cocktails, but I'm still a bit of a wuss.  I'm working my way up the ladder, right?

...versus...

Hot Caramel Apple Cider

from Amy Tobin

Makes 1 drink

Ingredients:

6 oz. apple cider

1-2 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 tbsp. caramel syrup

1-2 oz. caramel flavored vodka

Preparation:

Combine cider, cinnamon, and caramel syrup in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.  Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the caramel is melted into the cider.

Remove from heat and stir the vodka in.

Notes:

--For my tastes, this drink was too sweet.  Next time, I'd cut back on the caramel sauce or use plain vodka. Maybe add a pinch of fleur de sel or Maldon salt as a counterpoint.

--This would be a heck of a lot cozier served in a mug.  Bonus points for a dollop of whipped cream.

Cider and Spiced Rum

It's finally decided to settle into winter here in Ohio.  Temperatures dropped to 40s and below.  The wind is bitingly brisk and the sky is an uninspiring pale grey.  Ugh.  If I had my druthers, I'd spend winter in a charmingly cozy ski chalet, where none of my interactions with winter would involve driving through snow and ice to go to work and I'd never be chilled to the bone.  Of course, I'd grow tired of being cooped up in a single building, but the thought is quite picturesque, isn't it?

Until I'm whisked away to my dream ski chalet or until I no longer have to drive through snow, I'll settle for wrapping my hands around a tasty adult beverage. Whether it is hot or cold, I don't mind, as long as its flavors sing of comfort against fall and winter's biting chill.

Cider and Spiced Rum

Makes 1 drink

Serve hot or cold, your choice

Ingredients:

6-9 oz. apple cider

3 oz. spiced rum

Preparation:

For a cold drink (sometimes you need a change from all the hot beverages you're warming up with):  Combine cider and spiced rum in a glass.  Stir and enjoy.  Add more rum or cider, to taste.

For a hot drink:  Heat cider in a small saucepan on your stove, stirring occasionally, until you see steam rising but before you hit a boil.  I've noticed some ciders (though not Trader Joe's most amazing spiced cider) separate into spices and juice when heated too much.  Remove from heat and stir in the spiced rum.  Enjoy, and adjust to taste with more rum or cider.

Easy, right?  You could also use bourbon, if that is more to your taste, though I've found hot bourbon and apple cider is like an easier version of a hot toddy.  Add a strip of lemon peel and some honey for full hot toddy effect.

And I can't recommend Trader Joe's Spiced Cider enough.  By far my favorite cider in flavor - not too sweet, tastes like apples, and a strong dose of spice.  I'm inconsolable when it disappears for the year.

Fulton's Harvest Pumpkin Cream Liqueur and Martini

I promised you all things pumpkin, and so I shall deliver.

Meet Fulton's Harvest Pumpkin Pie Creme Liqueur.  As you can surmise from the name alone, Fulton's Harvest is a creme liqueur similar in texture to Bailey's Irish Creme, except its flavors are uniquely autumnal. Its creamy texture yields a distinctive pumpkin flavor and more subtle tastes of spice, molasses, and vanilla.  Exactly like a pumpkin pie, but in a more drinkable form...with a hint of booze at 12.5% ABV/25 proof.  Best of all is the wonderfully low price you'll pay for Fulton's Harvest - around $10 per bottle.

Just like Bailey's, this liqueur is delicious served over ice and sipped slowly.  Or added to your coffee for a pumpkin-spice-mildly boozy kick.  And don't even get me started with how amazing it is in hot chocolate!

You can also use Fulton's Harvest in any cream based cocktail you can imagine. Like a pumpkin variant of a white Russian.  Or a pumpkin pie martini...

Pumpkin Pie Martini

from Amy Tobin (get the original recipe here)

Makes 1 cocktail

Ingredients:

1 part vanilla vodka (alternatively, use 1 part plain vodka + 1/2 - 1 tsp. vanilla extract)

1 part Fulton's Harvest Pumpkin Pie Cream Liqueur

1/2 part creme de cacao

For an optional garnish:  crushed graham crackers, whipped cream, pumpkin pie spice

Preparation:

If garnishing, dip the rim of a martini glass in vodka, then the graham cracker crumbs. Set aside.

Combine the vodka, Fulton's Harvest, and creme de cacao in a cocktail shaker with ice.  Shake well, then strain the mixture into a martini glass.  Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.


Cheers to pumpkins!!!

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte

Friends, I've been holding out on you.  I've been enjoying pumpkin-laden baked goods and homemade pumpkin spice lattes for weeks now.  For failing to share my information, will you please forgive me?  Please?  I'll make it up to you, with recipes for everything, starting with pumpkin spice lattes.  All you have to make is a pumpkin spice mixture you store in the refrigerator, then you add warmed pumpkin spice mixture to your coffee each morning.

As a word of warning, the pumpkin spice mixture is far too easy to eat by the spoonful. You may also find yourself tipping the container of pumpkin spice mixture directly into your mouth.  I won't judge. I've already done it. Repeatedly.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

From A Farmgirl's Dabbles (get the original recipe here)

Makes enough pumpkin spice mixture for 7-8 homemade lattes

Ingredients for the pumpkin spice mixture:

1  15 oz. can of pumpkin puree

2 cups milk (preferably whole milk)

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 tbsp. pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg (preferably freshly grated, it's incomparable)

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. allspice

Ingredients for the pumpkin spice latte:

Approx. 1/2 cup of pumpkin spice mixture

Approx. 1 cup of strong, freshly brewed coffee

Whipped cream, cinnamon, dark chocolate shavings (optional)

Preparation for the pumpkin spice mixture:

Combine all the mixture ingredients in a blender and blend for about 30 seconds, until well mixed.  Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

To prepare the pumpkin spice latte:

Brew approximately 1 cup of strong coffee. 

Stir or shake your refrigerated container of pumpkin spice mixture to redistribute the ingredients; they tend to separate.  Pour approximately 1/2 cup of pumpkin spice mixture (you can use more or less, depending on your preference) into a large mug.  Microwave for 20-40 seconds on high to warm the mixture. 

Add the freshly brewed coffee to the pumpkin spice mixture, stir, and enjoy!  If you're feeling fancy, add the whipped cream, cinnamon, and dark chocolate shavings.  

Note: the pumpkin spice mixture will settle out of the coffee, so give it a stir before every sip.

Warmed pumpkin spice mixture...

...with coffee added

Homemade pumpkin spice lattes have made these increasingly chilly and dark mornings far more bearable.  Plus I feel as if this homemade version is healthier than the highly caloric (but oh so delicious) Starbucks version.

Plenty more pumpkin recipes to come!

What is your favorite pumpkin dish?

The Pumpkins of Apt. 6

It's been many years since I carved a pumpkin to celebrate Halloween.  Many years. So last night, my wonderful roommate and I established our priorities:  carve a pumpkin, drink a pumpkin beer, and do not cook dinner/lunch for the next few days.  And so we did.

Our setup was a bit, uh, ghetto...but we were quite clever, if I do say so myself.  The pantry shelf that recently collapsed under the weight of my ever-expanding spice collection provided a solid, flat base.  Spreading a garbage bag kept our carpet safe and made tidying up incredibly simple.

We used the Pumpkin Masters kit, which made carving an awesome pumpkin so easy. When I've used this kit in the past, I must not have purchased the tool set with it, because I recall spending forever pricking the outline of my design with a push-pin.  Oh, the misery!  

With their handy carving tool kit, though, we conquered our pumpkins in about 2 hours from start to finish.  We may have also been distracted by Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine on the television....

Thankfully, our pumpkins survived our inattentiveness and beer consumption to morph into beautiful works of art.  I'm so proud!

My roommate's pumpkin
Doesn't he remind you of Bartok from the movie Anastasia?

My pumpkin
Appropriate for an apartment inhabited by two science nerds

Happy Halloween!

Succumb to the Pumpkin Frenzy

I tried to resist the temptation of pumpkin until October.  I really tried. Okay, I didn't try all that hard after a week of seeing amazing pumpkin recipes and having pumpkin-laced everything shoved in my face by stores. Pumpkin, I love you and welcome you back with open arms. We're going to have an intense relationship through at least February. 

So on what would have been my last day of pumpkin resistance, I'm sharing the ways I've given up to pumpkin before October 1st.

Pumpkin Spice Tea from The Republic of Tea

My favorite brand of tea struck hard and fast with this product.  Black tea with pumpkin flavor and warming spices.  Even though the pumpkin flavor is subtle (and I'm quite content with a strong punch of pumpkin), the spice flavor and warmth of tea make this a quick autumnal favorite.

Pumpkin Ale Tasting at The Party Source

We've been loving the various Burgers and Beers tasting events all summer long. It's an inexpensive and fun change from the normal weeknight routine.  We sit on the patio of The Party Source, tasting several beers and devouring a gourmet hamburger with an ever-changing set of hamburger accouterments.

Last night's B&B was Pumpkin Ales. I'd been looking forward to it for months, since I initially read over the schedule.  And it didn't disappoint in the slightest.  

Brooklyn Brewery's Post Road was served with orange flavored, vodka-infused whipped cream. My first exposure to the vodka-infused whipped cream...and not bad. And since my roommate won a can of the whipped cream, I'm looking forward to using it on waffles, crepes, and hot chocolate. Yes, please!  

St. Ambroise, from Canada, had previously been one of my favorite pumpkin ales, along with Buffalo Bill Brewery's.  They're both ales with a good amount of spice and a definite hint of pumpkin. But as I said before, I'd rather be walloped with pumpkin, so my new favorites are O'Fallon Brewery's pumpkin ale and Schlafly Brewery's pumpkin ale, both from Missouri.  

My newly crowned number one pumpkin ale?  Southern Tier's Pumking.  With a strong, definitive pumpkin taste and a lighter dose of spices, this is my favorite. The aftertaste is almost sweet and very mildly earthy and there aren't any molasses flavors.  Don't get me wrong, I love molasses and caramel notes in brews, but here pumpkin is king. (ha, see what I did there?)

I loved Pumking so much, I bought a growler of it. Delight in a jug, I say. Check out their website for more specific info on Pumpking . 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bake one of the six pumpkin recipes I've earmarked.  It's Brittany's Vegan Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Soon to be followed by chai-iced pumpkin cookies, homemade pumpkin spice lattes (I very much did a dance of joy when I saw this recipe. Real pumpkin in my coffee??? Yes!), sweet-and-savory pumpkin bites with sage, and pumpkin milkshakes.  Oh, so much pumpkin to eat, so little time!!!

What's your favorite pumpkin recipe?

Smores Bars from A Periodic Table

Just hold up a minute here.  I agree it's fall.  The temperature here has dropped alarmingly, it's grey and rainy outside, I've worn pants (instead of shorts and skirts) to work most of the last two weeks...and I've already given in to siren song of pumpkin in everything I eat, smell or sit near.  We're all agreed. It's fall.

But are smores strictly and exclusively a summer food?  Am I allowed to make them outside of hot, humid days filled with sun and fun?

If you answered no, well...you're wrong.  Smores are an eternal and universal food. Food of the gods?  Maybe.  Excellent in PopTart form? Yes, though I say that with plenty of guilt.  Able to be made at any time of the year with whatever equipment is available to you? Yes - for proof, see my roommate and I make quick microwave smores. Yes, we're those kind of people. Quick is sometimes the most important thing, especially when your stomach is demanding satisfaction.

These Smores Bars are what you're looking for if you want a delicious way to enjoy smores year-round, without a bonfire.  They're a cinch to make and have every flavor you're craving in a smore...and a few extras (peanuts! sprinkles! a mix of chocolates!).  Plus they travel well, so maybe you can take them to the bonfire and make friends with the person who just burnt their last marshmallow to a crisp.

Chocolate, peanuts, sprinkles, and
marshmallows atop a graham
cracker crust. 

Smores Bars
from Shannon at A Periodic Table 
(adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito)

Get Shannon's recipe here.  She deserves all the credit for this magical and easy treat. Plus her blog is one of my all-around favorites, from writing to photography to recipes.

A crust of graham cracker crumbs, dry milk (shhh! It's
the secret ingredient that rocks your world), and butter
forms the base

A mixture of milk and dark chocolates offers all
the rich, creamy chocolate flavor you could possibly
want. Even if you didn't know you wanted it.

Stir in the goods! Marshmallows, extra-large nonpareils (go for
the extra-large. Their crunch and color is spectacular), and roasted
peanuts.

Put the chocolate + goods mixture atop the graham cracker
crust and chill.

Your patience will be rewarded.
And your smores craving will be met.

Friday Cheer! Blueberry Mojito

Woah, it's August.  That means summer is past its prime and beginning to slide into fall, which has plenty of its own pleasures.  But I'm not ready to surrender my summery cocktails.  This one, from a cookbook I've come to adore, has been enjoyed several times this summer. And I suspect it will be enjoyed many more times before I make the transition to fall and all its comfy-coziness.

Blueberry Mojito
from The Boozy Baker by Lucy Baker
Makes 1 drink

Ingredients:
1/2 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp. sugar (superfine, or, if you're feeling adventurous, turbinado/raw)
6 fresh mint leaves
10 fresh blueberries (or a large handful, if you're a berry fiend like me)
1 oz. light rum
1 oz dark rum
Club soda or seltzer water to taste

I strongly recommend purchasing Gosling's dark rum.
Use it for this blueberry mojito and for my all-time summer favorite,
a Dark and Stormy.

Preparation:
Combine the lime juice, sugar, mint leaves, and blueberries in a tall glass. Muddle (with a muddler or large wooden spoon) until the mint leaves are lightly bruised and the sugar is mostly dissolved. Add both rums and club soda/seltzer water. Give it a quick stir and enjoy!

Muddled blueberries, mint, sugar, and lime juice.
I muddled a bit before adding the mint, so I could mash
some blueberries thoroughly and only lightly bruise
the mint.

Notes:
--Demarara or raw sugar may not completely dissolve during muddling.  I don't mind the mild crunch it adds, especially because the molasses in the sugar plays very nicely with the flavors of the dark rum.
--The goal is to lightly bruise the mint leaves during muddling. If you crush and grind them to a pulp, you'll release the leaf's chlorophyll into the drink, adding a distinctly bitter taste.
--Dark rum is not the same thing as spiced rum.  You could use either here with impunity...but they are different flavors.  A quality spiced rum is, you guessed it, flavored with spices like cinnamon and clove.  Dark rum is aged in barrels longer, so it has stronger flavors, typically of molasses and a mild spice.

Fizzy, refreshing, and very potent.
My favorite part? The rum-soaked blueberries
hanging out at the bottom of the glass.

Happy Friday!!!

Sweet Revenge

Happy Halloween!!!!

 As you get older, Halloween is celebrated so differently from when you were a kid. Back then, it was all about the coolest costume and how much candy you could acquire in a single night. You'd look forward to Trick-or-Treating with the same, overwhelming amount of anticipation that you'd feel on Christmas morning. I remember my favorite costumes were the ones my mom made - Princess Jasmine from Aladdin and Pocahontas (but way before Disney came out with their movie). I definitely wore those a few years each!

 This year, my Halloween encompassed going out on Saturday night in a costume cobbled together at the last second with my regular wardrobe. Yup, I was a "cowgirl", in my plaid button-down shirt, jeans, a leather boots. Sorry, I didn't even have a cowboy hat to make the ensemble work. We visited two bars, neither of which was very busy or having a Halloween party. It was a complete reversal of last year's Halloween festivities in downtown -- every place was packed with costumed people, it took forever to get a drink, and we had to park blocks away.

 And my plans for tonight, Halloween Eve, are to hit up the grocery, then hang out at my apartment with my roomie, watching a Halloween movie on tv. Not a scary movie, though, since I'm such a chicken. We were planning to enjoy the first case of Ohio-issued Yuengling, since it was scheduled to be released today in southern Ohio. Sadly, though, the release date in stores has been pushed back to mid-November...so we'll be prematurely (by one day) celebrating Dia de Los Muertos with Rogue Dead Guy Ale. [side note: I love the colors and traditional imagery of Dia de Los Muertos - and I've always loved the idea of a day to celebrate the lives of your ancestors.] Sounds perfect to me! Plus I get to eat all the candy I bought, instead of giving it away to kids. Ha, okay, I will eat some of it, but I'll try to incorporate most of it into some baked goods, like cookies or something. Sigh. Behaving is such a challenge...

 Unlike my Halloween festivities, my celebration of fall-inspired cooking are in full swing.

 Two weeks ago, I made a pumpkin pie from scratch, meaning I chopped and roasted a small pie pumpkin instead of scraping it out of a can. I learned that I prefer the ease and bright orange color of the canned pumpkin puree to my sad, pale brown pie. Both taste quite good, though.

 Last week, I took the leftover roasted pumpkin and pureed it for a Pumpkin-Ginger Bread Pudding, with raisins and a hefty dose of cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Very tasty, especially when warmed and drizzled with heavy cream. Okay, what doesn't heavy cream make better? And there was plenty of heavy cream and gruyere cheese in the fennel-potato gratin I made, which was such a comfort dish, I know I'll made it again this winter.

 This past weekend, I was a baking fiend. I'd postponed some of the baking I'd meant to do during the week and had to get it done on the weekend, so that my ingredients didn't go bad. I made: baked mac and cheese with ricotta and squash puree, brownie cookies, brownies (with the leftover batter from the cookies), and Alton Brown's Super Apple Pie. Yup, that's right, I made my second attempt at the apple pie that had so disappointed and frustrated me a few weeks ago. This time, I came in armed with a brand new pie bird (an adorable white and blue rooster with red rooster trimmings!) and a springform pan (in lieu of the 2 inch deep tart pan AB recommends). I made the dough for the pie crusts over 24 hours before I made the pie, so they had plenty of time to firm up in the fridge. This pie takes a bit more time than I usually commit to pies, thanks to peeling and slicing all the apples, then coating them in sugar and letting them drain out some of their juice for 30 minutes. The task was made even more difficult by the ancient peeler my mom owns, which took some serious pressure to get peeling. Naturally, that brings about a serious fear of injuring myself with said peeler. I actually longed for the lovely, sharp oxo peeler in my apartment (nerd!).

 I was worried I'd have a repeat of my previous frustrations, or an entirely new set of difficulties to deal with; it'd be my personal Halloween horror story, made worse by the need to re-try baking the pie. I cannot let a silly pie recipe defeat me!

 The chilled crust rolled out nicely. The filling had more liquid than I thought was a good idea, so I added a bit more flour. It didn't seem to do much...but it was worth a shot. I even took the time to arrange the apples around the pie bird in a manner similar to AB's demo video, though I didn't arrange them nearly as neatly as he did (this young grasshopper has no patience!). The head of this wee pie bird poking out of the top of the pie was a strange sight, and he looked as if he might be screaming "Nooooooo!" I almost felt bad. There were only two minor problems with assembly: 1) the edges of the crust were difficult to seal together in the springform pan. I did my best, but it wasn't a pretty job, and 2) the reduced apple juice was a bit too reduced, almost like candy syrup, so it didn't brush across the crush. My lack of artistry is apparent in the smudges of candy-apple-juice around the emerging head of the pie bird.

 In the looks department, this pie isn't going to win any awards. In the arena of taste, though....mmmm! This pie has it. A tender, flaky crust with just a hint of apple from the applejack brandy. Apples kept juicy with apple jelly and apple cider, complete with a subtle hint of spice from the addition of grains of paradise. And a fresh acidity underlying it all, thanks to the lime juice. Marvelous! Definitely a Super Apple Pie. My revenge on this recipe was complete and so very delicious!

 Happy Halloween!
And Feliz Dia de los Muertos tomorrow!

A Fall Preview

Well, who knew almost a month has passed since I last wrote?  It certainly didn't feel like a whole month. It barely felt like a week!  As you would guess, I've been busy...so I'll see what I can recall from the abyss of my memory to share with you.

First and most pressing on my mind, I have my first exam on Friday for my crystallography class. 
I need to study. Like crazy. If you couldn't tell, I'm stressing out over this exam, for a variety of reasons, most of which are probably awfully silly.

So the rest of today and tomorrow are for studying. Friday morning we have our school's grad student research forum, where I have to present my poster (from the thermo conference I recently attended) for a few hours.  Since the exam is in the afternoon, I'll probably be skipping my bi-weekly yoga class, which is a huge bummer....

I've been doing better at exercising!
Not perfect, not everyday, but much more consistently. I think much credit for this success should go to the fitness classes at the gym that I've been checking out. Luckily, most of the fitness classes at our gym are free with your membership, so I can just pop into different classes as my schedule and interests dictate. I've been regularly attending a power yoga class during lunch twice a week. I love the instructor and I feel like I've made some progress, though I am definitely not an uber-flexible and mentally peaceful yogi!!!  And I probably never will be. But I've been enjoying the challenges of her practices and I look forward to class quite a bit. I even bought a cushy yoga mat that I keep at work!

I also tried my first spinning class...and I didn't fall off the bike from sheer exhaustion like I had anticipated.  Actually, I really like spinning and want to try to make a class once a week.  Unfortunately, the popularity of spin class plus the limited number of bikes available make it challenging to meet that goal (last week I wasn't able to snag a bike because of the gaggle of girls hanging out at the counter, snatching up bike tickets the moment they were released).   I'll continue my efforts, though!

I even registered for a TRX circuit training class on main campus that I have to pay for. It works out to $3 per class, which is such a deal. I've only done TRX once before, but I loved the workout it gave me. I did not love the extreme soreness of random muscles nearly as much, but I think circuit training will keep me interested and having more fun than just doing my own workouts (because I do such an excellent job of wiggling my way out of my more intense workouts).

Fall foods have captured my attention in the kitchen.
I seriously have so many recipes to try for apples and pumpkins that it's laughable.
 
I made a standard apple pie with a oat crisp crust. Tasty, as always.
 
Inspired by my first apple pie of the fall, I wanted to try a new apple pie recipe (Alton Brown's Super Apple Pie).  It was not exactly my best-looking pie. To be honest, I called the end result the Pie of Endless Frustration, because I'd had a frustrating day at work and the pie also chose to sass me (the crust wouldn't chill and firm up even after a few hours in the fridge, so the top crust of the pie was, um, edited out).
 
I also had the crazy idea to make a pumpkin pie from scratch.  An adorable little pie pumpkin looked at me in the grocery store and encouraged me - you can do it, it's not that hard, I might even make pie taste better (as if pumpkin pie could get any better!).  After a short delay, I muscled my pie pumpkin into cubes for roasting. No problem.  Making the pie filling, though, was a bit of an adventure. I mushed the roasted pumpkin (hmm, this looks like the contents of a regurgitated stomach) and stirred in the evaporated milk and eggs with a bit of patience and effort. The pie tastes quite good, though it isn't any better than one made from canned pumpkin. However, my sad, dull brown color of pie filling didn't even look remotely pumpkin.  I'll be returning to the ease and lovely color of canned pumpkin for future pies. But I'm glad I gave it a go.
 
I tested a new dish - roasted brussel sprouts with shallots, pear, and lemon juice. Very easy to make and quite tasty.  Unfortunately, I don't think I really want to eat more than about 4 brussel sprouts at a time.  So the remnants of this dish eventually made it to the trash can.

I also experimented with veggie "pancakes" - shredded zucchini, onion, black beans, and corn mixed with a mix of flour and egg and chili powder.  To be honest, I had no idea how much flour and egg to add, so I kept plopping another spoonful in, stirring, and guessing.  It worked, though, because there is enough batter there to hold the veggies together and to brown without being a full-blown pancake. I smothered these veggie pancakes in greek yogurt and hot sauce for a tasty little meal.

Despite my desire for fall foods and baked, cheesy dinners, I'm not ready for the fall (and then winter) weather.
As I've aged, I've definitely developed a stronger and stronger dislike of cold, rainy, dreary weather. It no longer means days off from school/work.  It just means I have to trudge outside, drive a car in the sub-optimal conditions (a feat made infinitely worse by the hundreds of moronic drivers in the Cincy area), and be freezing cold all the time.

I'm not ready to say goodbye to my pretty, fun, easy summer clothes and shoes! I'm not ready for months of grey skies and rain, with so little golden sunshine!  I'm not ready for a frigid apartment (being on the end of the building is not conducive to a warm set of rooms)!  I'm not ready for shivering in the shower because the bathroom window lets too much cold air through, even when closed!

What I am looking forward to for fall and winter:
-seasonal produce, like honeycrisp apples and pumpkin out the wazoo!
-holidays with family and friends, seeing everyone, and eating!
-wearing leather boots with a skirt (I've been wanting to try this since last year, but am paranoid about looking silly and ruining my boots with precipitation)
-possibly going to a Tennessee football game with Eric!
-watching football every Saturday
-Christmas shopping. I love it. I know, I'm weird. I also figured out most of my presents for others awhile ago.
-baked mac and cheese, grilled cheeses (ooo! try Trader Joe's Colby Jack slices on wheat/10 grain bread...you will melt more than the cheese!), potato gratin, stews and soups, chili....mmmm!
-the arrival of Yuengling beer in Dayton and Cincinnati on October 31st! Can you tell I'm counting down???
-the return of new episodes of Psych!
-a recently purchased, adorable stuffed penguin with scarf and hat and a matching fleece blanket from Target

Wish me luck on my test on Friday! When it's over, I plan to enjoy my weekend thoroughly!!! I have a potato-fennel gratin planned, as well as brownie-cookies, watching Psych with Eric, and seeing the new store close to being open! So exciting!

To The Kitchen!!!

I've realized recently that I read a lot of food-centric blogs. I'm perfectly happy with this, because the blogs are excellent and inspiring. The only conundrum this brings me is...how will I ever make all of the incredible recipes I've been discovering??? A wonderful problem to have, though sometime this does bring a wee bit of frustration into my weeknights when I'm running behind schedule but HAVE to make a recipe so ingredients don't spoil. Again, not an awful problem to have. Anyway, I want to share some of the recent baking adventures I've had, thanks to recipes from all the lovely food-centric blogs!

From Sassy Radish...  
Rhubarb Strawberry Banana Bread
Admission: I've made this bread twice in a week's time. It's that easy and that delicious. And to make it even easier, I've used frozen strawberries and frozen rhubarb that I microwave and sorta awkwardly slice in a bowl. Plus I can make it year round with frozen fruit! Also, I don't have dark rum in the house and, while I don't mind remedying that, I wanted to make this bread before I was able to acquire some rum. So I substituted in bourbon and I think it's perfectly lovely. My labmates and parents also think this bread is quite lovely.

From the first cookbook from the bakery Baked in New York...  
Almond Cupcakes with Green Tea (Matcha) Icing
I've had my eye on these treats since I first opened that cookbook a few years ago. Once I finally bought some matcha (green tea leaf) powder, I was determined to make them. I've had some technical difficulties with some of Baked's other recipes - mainly, I think they're a little more complicated in parts than they need to be. And I have my usual problems with making icings and fillings set up. Probably because I'm not patient enough, but that's another thing. Happily, though, this icing worked like a charm for me!!! The instructions looked daunting (start icing on the stove?? use flour??), but they worked really well. Maybe it's also due to the fact that my apartment is starting to cool down with the fall weather, so it's not as hot and humid as a rainforest in there! Also, these cupcakes rely on shortening to provide moisture and texture, and it turns out really well. Most of the cake and cupcake recipes I use don't incorporate shortening, so it's somewhat of a novel texture and taste for me. Overall, these cupcakes are a study in subtlety - a hint of almond from the cupcake as well as a unique and delicate flavor from the green tea icing. I wasn't able to get the white chocolate to melt, though, so there aren't fortune cookies half covered in white chocolate atop the lovely pale green icing. Just a plain ol' fortune cookie. Oh well!

From Sassy Radish (again!)...
Peach Jam with Bourbon and Vanilla
In my hands, this didn't really become jam so much as peaches in a goodly amount of yummy bourbon-vanilla syrup. It was an adventure.. ..but it is still marvelous - on toast, on yogurt, on ice cream, on a spoon (like pb!).... Also, I didn't go through the canning process, so I froze 2 jars and have 2 jars in the fridge. Though I would like to get into canning/preserving, especially after finding some tempting recipes...

Tonight, I'm hoping to make Smores Brownies from Food Network Kitchens...
Oh man, these are simple. I know, you wouldn't expect more-than-brownies to be simple, but these are. I mix the graham cracker crust in the pan I'm using (less clean-up, yay!). While it's baking, make the batter - it's quick and incredibly rich. While the brownies are baking, slice large marshmallows in half. Press the marshmallows on top and, instead of broiling, I pop them back into the oven for about 2 more minutes. You get sinfully rich and marvelously gooey brownies. A word of warning - these will be very, very sticky when you cut them or move them or eat them. But you can either eat or wash the marshmallow deliciousness of your hands and all will be well. Better than well, actually.

With the arrival of gorgeous fall apples, I'm going to be diving into all things apple - cake, muffin, challah bread, baked, crisp.... hot damn! I'm going to miss summer berries and peaches, though. I also can't wait to start cooking mac and cheeses, garlic soup, and lasagnas! I have a hard time bringing myself to make and eat them during such hot and humid summer months, but come fall and winter, I quadruple my intake of cheese and baked foods. Give me comfort! And apple cider!!!!!

Happy Fall!

wait, what am I doing?

This is a question I ask myself about a dozen times a day, most while I'm at work. Bouncing between three or more projects every day is a little crazy, but I like the challenge, even though it's exhausting. Well, maybe I'm not always thrilled about doing it, but it's way better than having a mindless, repetitive job. I like the constant change and challenge, even if it frustrates me.

I know it's been awhile since I last wrote...sorry! As seems to always happen, I plan to do something (you should see my "to-do" lists!) and never get around to it. I don't know what keeps me from getting to things (okay, I strongly suspect TV, exhaustion, and trying to juggling way too many things at the same time), but I really have meant to write.

What have I been up to the last month or so?

~Searching for a new qualifier topic, with increasing desperation.
Okay, it's downright panic right now. I have to submit the first part of my qualifier (a two page document with a rough outline of what I propose to do) on Wednesday. That's 6 days from now. And I still haven't decided on a topic. Considering I spent over a month the previous two times doing what I need to do in 6 days...yeah, I'd say I'm seriously screwed. The stress levels and emotional tumult are increasing exponentially. As is my desire to do any task that does NOT involve my qualifier (This is a often discussed theory held by me and one of my former co-workers, Andy. The theory is that if you have a task you don't want to do, you will do any other task before it. In order to do this undesirable task, you must be presented with an even more odious task. Sadly, I don't have a more distasteful task than a qualifier. I even WANT to clean and organize my closet!).

~Cleaned my closet out.
Please see above for reasoning. I'm not done yet, but it is better!

~Helping my mom prepare food for my Aunt Norma and Uncle Charlie's birthday fiestas.
We had a friendly cook-off (okay, it wasn't a competition at all) where each guest made a Bobby Flay recipe to share. It was like Thanksgiving--soooo much food, all of which was delicious! I ate so much (just like Thanksgiving) I was in pain for the rest of the night and very nearly entered a food-induced coma.




~Made grand plans to get back on the exercise train...and not (yet) follow through on them.
Okay, this is starting to sound like a record. My most recent idea was to go to the gym at work in the morning, then do a workout video (either the Brazil butt lift or creepy yoga) at night. The rationale for this plan is that I am incredibly good at finding reasons not to go the gym at the end of the day...so if I do it first thing, I will not have time to find an excuse. One snag in my brilliant plan-I have to wake up early. I strongly dislike getting out of bed, particularly to perform physical activity. I think I have some work to do!!!!! I really want to get in shape!

~Hung out with my two best friends, Megan and Moe.
Megan was in D-town for a week and the three of us went out to dinner to one of the most delicious restaurants, Thai9. Then we wandered around Target, which is another of our favorite past times. I miss spending time with them!!!!

~Done some baking. And cooking.
I tried out a few new dishes - tart with figs and almond filling, iced brownies (I'd never iced brownies before!), salad of celery root + fennel + apple (didn't get to try any before it went bad, though), and some more stuff I don't remember. :)

~Organized school events.
As the new president of our department's grad school organization (which means next to nothing), I am in charge of running our bi-monthly meetings. And I am co-in-charge of organizing and setting up our monthly happy hours. I did both! Call me the department social director!


I'm going to bury myself in the qualifier for the next week, but once I turn it in, I will hopefully be able to talk about something more fun! I do have a lot of amazing things to look forward to (and write about!) -- hopefully going to a Tennessee football game, seeing Eric's band play at the Air Force Marathon (I love this outside morning show!), running a 5k, trying some recipes from my new cookbook, playing with fall activities (octoberfest, saurkraut festival, pumpkins, apple cider, football watching, earlham homecoming risotto!), some awesome new movies and tv shows coming out, and hopefully getting through the qualifier without losing my mind! So here's to fun...starting in one week :)